Means for attemperating and purifying air.



No. 644,668. Patented Mar. 6, I900. J. F. DORNFELD.

MEANS FOR ATTEMPERATING AND PURIFYING AIR.

(Application filed Jan. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Mar. 6, :900. .1. F. DORNFELD.

MEANS FOR ATTEMPERATING AND PURIFYING AIR.

[Application filed m1. 6, 1899.) ii

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 644,668. Patented Mar. 6, I900 J. F. DOBNFELD.

MEANS FOR ATTEMPERATING AND PURIFYING AIR.

' (Application filed Jan. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOHN F. DORNFELD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,668, dated March 6,1900.

Application filed January 6, 1899. fierial No. 701,307. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. DORNFELD, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Means for Attemperating and Purifying Air forVentilation, of which the following is a description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of thisspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means forattemperating air and freeing it from dust and foreign substances.

Attemperated and purified air is desirable in many of the arts and inall buildings in which people live or are employed but as my improveddevices are arranged and designed. with special reference to their usein purifying air for maltingI have shown them in connection with abuilding in sectional outline, in which malting can be carried on toillustrate one purpose and method of use of the invention.

The invention consists of the apparatuses and their parts andcombinations, as herein described and claimed, or the equivalentsthereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a building in whichmy improved devices are located and are shown in section. Fig. 2 is avertical section on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 7 7of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is an elevation of one of the attempera tors. Fig. 5 isa transverse section of the attemperator shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is atransverse section of a fragmant of the attemperator shown in Fig. 4.Fig. 7 is a section of an enlarged fragment of the attemperator. Fig. 8is afragment of the attemperator enlarged, showing features of theconstruction of the attemperator.

In the drawings, A is a building adapted for the use ,of my improvedapparatus, and my invention is shown in connection therewith. Thebuilding shown in the drawings has two stories, one above the other; butthis is not essential to the invention, as it could as well be employedin a building having only one story or in a building having more thantwo stories. The devices shown at B O D are merely incidental to adesirable employment orpurpose of myimproved devices and are notnecessarily involved therewith.

For providing suitable passages for supplying the properly-treated airto the building a flue 14, preferably opening at the top of the buildingto the outer air, leads into a laterally-extending distributing-chamber15, and a passage 16 leads thereform neer the floor through a partitioninto an adjoining chamber 17, and from the chamber 17 the air passesthrough the passage 18 in the floor into the chamber 19, thence througha passage 20 in the wall near the floor into a chamber 21, and thenceinto a channel 22, from which it is led by pipes 23. From thence it maypass to the drums O and through the exhaust-pipes into theexhaust-channels, thence through the exhaust-flues,and thence to theouter air through the discharge-fines 27. In these fines may be locatedexhaust-fans 28, that can be driven conveniently by being belted toshafts 29.

As an initial means of heating or cooling the air that is thereafter tobe used for ventilat'ing I provide a pipe-coil 31, located in thechamber 17, which coil receives its supply of exhaust-steam or of coldair from arefrigcrating-machine through a pipe 32, leading thereto fromthe source of exhaust steam supply or from a source of cold-air supply,with either of which it can be supplied by proper stop-cock connections.WVhen, as in cool weather, exhaust-steam is employed for warming theair, the steam after passing through the coil 31 is discharged throughthe pipe 33, while the water of condensation is led away from the coilthrough the pipe 34 to the primary division 35' of the water-tank 35,located in the basement of the building. To compel the air passing fromthe chamber 15 into the chamber 17 to come in close contact with thecoils 31, these coils are located near to the wall of the chamber 17opposite to and above the passage 16, and a wall 36, extending from thefloor of the chamber 17 up wardly near the coils 31 on the inside of theroom, extends nearly to the top of the room throughout the length of it,thus compelling the air that comes through the passage 16 to come incontact with or close to the coils 31 in its passage into the mainportion of the chamber 17 over the top of the wall 36. As

it sometimes occurs in exceedingly cold weather that it is necessary tostill further heat the air in the chamber 17, I provide another set ofpipe-coils 37 in the chamber 17, which are adapted to be supplied withlive steam by a pipe leading to the upper portion thereof from anysuitable source of supply. A discharge-pipe 38, leading from this coil37 to the primary division 35 of the tank, is adapted to discharge steamor the water of condensation into that tank. It is only inexcessively-cold weather or in cases of emergency that the coils 37,supplied with live steam, will be needed.

For the purpose of removing all dust and foreign matter from the air andfor saturating it with water and also for further changing or regulatingthe temperature of the air I employ two sets of devices, one set beinglocated in the chamber 19 and the other set in the adjoining chamber 21.When more than one story is to be supplied with purified air, the roomsand attemperating devices are substantially duplicated, as in thechambers 19 and 21. In the chamber 19 a box-like structure or tunnel 39is constructed, extending nearly from one end to the other of the roomat and near its floor in front of and inclosing the passage 20 throughthe wall of the room into the chamber 21. The top of this box or tunnel39 is provided with a number of apertures in its top wall, over whichare placed a corresponding number of attemperating devices t0. Theseattemperating devices are conveniently and preferably constructed of afabric-like material 4E1, formed of transverse metal rods 42, heldinplace by being woven in the manner of a weft into a warp formed of metalstrips 43 in sufiicient numbers to hold the rods or weft in place. Thisfabric is set on edge in circular form above and about the aperture 45through the top of the box 39 and is secured in place by flanged bands416 at the top and bottom, to which bands the fabric is held on theoutside by encircling adjustable hoops -17 t7. I preferably employ aplurality of walls of this metal-like fabric, as shown in Fig. 10, therods of'each wall of the fabric being arranged to alternate with thespaces of the adjoining wall or sheet of fabric. A removable cover 18closes the top of the attemperating device. A pipe -l=9, leading fromthe primary tank 35 through a pump 50, Figs. 5 and G, into the chamber19, alongside of the box 39, is provided with a terminal nozzle ornozzles 50, adapted to spray water into the attemperators 10 and uponthe rods or walls thereof. The air in its passage from the chamber 19into the chamber 21 is compelled to pass through these cage-likeattemperators 40, and the dust and foreign matter in the air by themovement of the air through the walls of the attemperators will bebrought in contact therewith, and most or all of the dust and foreignmatter therein will be caught by and will adhere to the walls of theattemperators, which are kept constantly wet with the water sprayedthereon from the nozzles 50' 50. These devices 40 are the initial andpreominently filtering devices through which the air passes, and the airin passing through these devices is largely or wholly deprived offoreign matter therein. The circular cagelike construction of theattemperator is desirable for that with one or two atomizers ornozzles'a large surface of metal can be covered with water and any oneof the hoods or cages can be removed without interfering with theoperation of the others and can be rolled about on the floor while beingcleaned; but for further filtering the air, and especially for morethoroughly and completely saturating it with moisture and unifying thetemperature, another device, which it is convenient to call a secondaryattemperator, consists of a boxlike structure having an open topconstructed in the chamber 21, extending nearly from one end thereof tothe other along, opposite to, and at the rear of the passage 20, therebeing a raised or second bottom 52 in the box just above the top of thepassage 20,which bottomis perforated or preferably made of aseries ofslats with alternate spaces, through which (located in the basement ofthe building) through a pump 55 into the chamber 21 above theattemperating device 51 and is there provided with a series of orifices,from which water is discharged in spray that falls on the coke orsimilar material in the attemperatingbox below. This device being thusprovided with an abundance of water percolating through it is adapted toquite completely saturate the air with moisture as it passes throughthis attemperating device, and. this device is therefore essentially anair-saturating apparatus. It, however, as well as the apparatus 40, hasits function as-a filter and also as a regulator or adjuster of thetemperature of the air. The capability of these devices to change thetemperature of the air depends on and is accomplished by the temperatureof the Water supplied from the tanks, which can be changed or regulatedby means hereindescribed. Drip-pipes 56 lead from the floor of thechamber 19 to the tank 35, and drip-pipes 57 lead from the floor of theattemperator 51 to the tank 54. Corresponding drip-pipes lead from thechambers 19' and 21, where such chambers are employed, the apparatusesin these chambers being substantially the duplicates of those inchambers 19 and 21. A coke filtering and attemperating apparatussubstantially like the one shown and described-as being located inchamber 21 is a very inexpensive and satisfactory apparatus forsaturating the air with moisture; but as it is very difficult orlaborious to clean it it is not welladapted for a filter for removingdust and foreign matter from the air where the air, as in the vicinityof large cities, is heavily loaded with soot, dust, and other foreignmatter, and for this purpose the initial apparatuses 40 are much moredesirable in that they are adapted very satisfactorily to remove foreignmatter from the air, while they can be taken apart and cleaned with muchless labor and trouble than the less expensive and more bulky cokedevices of the chamber 21.

The tank 54 is supplied directly with the comparatively-fresh Water thatis discharged from the attemperators 51 in the chamber 21, and is alsosupplied with fresh water through the pipe 58 from any suitable sourceof supply, as from city waterworks or a well. The comparatively-freshwater in the tank 54 overflows at 59 into the primary division 35' ofthe tank 35. The tank 35 is provided with a surface dam 60 across thetank, extending from above the water-line down nearly to the bottom ofthe tank, whereby any foreign matter in the principal part of the tank35 that floats on the water is prevented from entering the primarydivision 35' of the tank. The excess water in the tank 35 is dischargedby overflow, carrying foreign floating matter with it through the pipe61 into a sewer or other relieving locality. The Water in the tank 35,and especially in the primary division 35 thereof, is heated by thedischarge of the water from the coils 31 into it and may be heated to aconsiderable extent, if desired, by discharging live steam into itthrough the pipe 38 from the coils 37. In northern latitudes, where coolweather prevails during a larger portion of the year, exhaust-steam isemployed a large portion of the time in the coils 81 for warming the airand incidentally the water in tank 35 that is to be supplied to thegerminating grain in the drum 0; but during the summer, in which warmweather prevails, it is necessary to cool the outside air that is to besupplied to the drums C, and for this purpose cold Water, eithernaturally cold or excessively cold by running it through a refrigerator,may be supplied to the coils 31 by merely connecting the supply pipethrough suitable cooks therefor to the coldwater supply. The method ofconnecting these coils up to the steam-supply or to the cold-watersource is not shown, because this is a matter of simple mechanicalconstruction and forms no part of my invention.

It is obvious that two distinct operations are performed-one for heatingand one for cooling the air to a desired normal temperatureand that theotherwise Wasted heat or energy is utilized to its entire capacity.While in the winter the cold air is first warmed by exhaust-steam andthe condensation of such steam is used for heating the water in thewater-tank 35, which water is pumped up into the metal attemperatorhoods or cages, where the superheated incoming air comes in thoroughcontact with the remaining heat transmitted to the metal bars or held insuspense by sprayed water in the air, thus utilizing every unit of heatby the employment of such steam and water system with metalattemperators, which, if done in coils only, would have to be massive,becoming bulky and impractical. The slightly-warmed air passing throughhood-attemperators coming in contact with the hot water will cause amist or fog, which is undesirable; but the foggy air leaving the hoodspasses through the coke attemperator, which is supplied with andsaturated by water of normal temperature from the water-tank 54, and theair is purifled of such fog by its condensation in passing through thecooler atmosphere, thereby unifying the temperature.

The water-tank 54 is always supplied with fresh and almost temperatewater, and an equivalent overflows into the tank 35, which is the onlysupply for the tank 35, and an equal amount overflows into the sewer 61,save the portion which evaporates and is taken up by the air. Thereforeand as in warm or hot weather the water of the hoodattemperator systemin tank 35 is warmed by the immediate contact of the warm or hotincoming air and its supply from the tank 54 is of water somewhat heatedin the coke-attemperator system it is too warm to cool the air in thepassage through the hood-attemperator to the required temperature, butis sufficient to lower the temperature of the warm air to a considerableextent. The thus partly-cooled air passes through the coke-attemperator,which is supplied and saturated with fresh water from the tank 54, whereit is lowered to the normal and required temperature of the water insaid tank.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In air attemperating and ventilatingdevices, the combination with a chamber 17 through which air isintroduced to a room of a building, of two sets of heat-radiatingdevices located at a distance apart, and an interposed and separatingpartial wall so disposed as to compel air passing through the chamber topass first overone set of the heat: radiating devices and then over theother set of heat-radiating devices, and air-filterin g devices 40located in the passage for the air in its course after passing theheat-radiating devices in the chamber 17.

2. In aventilating system, the combination with a building havingair-induction chambers, of an air-attemperating apparatus or filterconsisting of an open or screen-like cage and means for spraying wateron the cage through which the incoming air must pass in one chamber, anda filter-like water-saturating apparatus through which incoming air mustpass in an adjoining chamber.

3. An air-filtering apparatus comprising an upright cage-like structurehaving Walls formed of metal rods at little distances apart held inplace by metal strips woven as a warp about the rods, a cover for thecage-like structure, and means for spraying water on the walls of thecage.

4. Ina ventilating system, the combination with a building having achamber for the passage of incoming air, of steam heating-pipes locatedin said chamber, a water-supply tank located below the chamber and apipe leading from the heating-pipes to the tank adapted to discharge thewater of condensation into the tank, and air-filtering devices as 40located in the passage for the air in its course after passing theheat-radiating devices in the chamber having the heating devicestherein.

5. In a ventilating system, the combination with a building having achamber for the passage of incoming air, of aplurality of sets ofheating-pipes located in said chamber one set for exhaust-steam and oneset for live steam, a water-supply tank below said chamber and pipesleading from said sets of heating-pipes to and discharging it into saidtank, and airfiltering devices as 40 and 51 located in the passage forthe air in its course after passing the heat-radiating devices in thechamber having the heat-radiating devices therein.

6. In a building, the combination with airfiltering apparatuses andair-saturating devices supplied with water, of a plurality ofwater-tanks below the filtering and saturating apparatuses,a pipeleading from said saturating apparatuses to one of said tanks, anoverflow from said tank to another tank, a surface dam in saidlast-mentioned tank and a pipe leading from the filtering apparatus tosaid last-mentioned tank.

7. In a ventilating system, the combination in a building havingattemperating-chambers and attemperating apparatuses therein adapted forthe use of Water therewith, of a waterholding tank below said chambers,pipes for conveying water from the tank to said attemperatingapparatuses, and other pipes adapted to conduct the water after it hasbeen used in said attemperating apparatuses to and discharging it intosaid tank.

8. An air-filtering apparatus comprising a cage-like structure havingwalls composed of a plurality of series of metal rods in j uxtapositionbut with spaces for the passage of air and water between them, a closedtop and an open bottom, and a water-pipe leading to the cage-likestructure terminating in a nozzle adapted to spray water into and uponthe cagelike structure.

9. In a ventilating system, the combination with a building, of meansfor transmitting attem perated air through the building, an airsupplychannel leading to said air-transmitting means from attemperatingdevices, a plurality of air-attemperating devices one at least of whichdevices includes coke or si1nilarfiltering material, and one at least ofwhich said attemperating devices includes metallic screens or perforatedplates, the attemperating devices being located near each other in anair-passage chamber provided with an air-' supply inlet.

10. In aventilating system, the combination in a building, ofpure-air-usin g compartments communicating with a channel or flue of anair-outlet and a channel or flue of an airsupply connected to andleading from an air-attemperating room or rooms communicating by apassage or passages to an inlet, the passage or passages provided orobstructed by wire screen or perforated sheet metal and coke or similarmaterial, and means for spraying water on the attemperating materials asthe air passes through the perforations and crevices.

11. In aventilatingsystem, the combination ina building, ofpure-air-employing compartments communicating with an air-exhaustchannel or fine and an air-supply channel or flue connected to andleading from an attem-' perator room or rooms, air-passages obstructedin one or more departments with coke or similar material and in one ormore other com municating departments with wire screen or perforatedsheet-metal plates, and an airinlet, and means for spraying water on theperforated metal and coke as the air passes through the openings andcrevices.

12. In a ventilatingsystem, the combination in a building, ofpure-air-employing compartments communicating with a channel or flue ofan air-outlet and a channel or flue of an air-supply connected to andleading from an air-attemperating room or rooms, air-passages leadingfrom an air-inlet said passage or passages provided or obstructed withWire screen or perforated sheet metal and coke or similar material, andmeans for spraying water of diiferent temperatures on the metal and cokeattemperators.

13. In a ventilating system, the combination in a building, ofpure-air-employing compartments communicating with a channel or flue ofan air-outlet and a channel or flue of an air-supply connected to andleading from an air-attemperating room or rooms communicating by apassage or passages to an inlet, the passage of the attemperating-roomsbeing respectively provided and obstructed by wire screen or perforatedsheet metal in one department and by coke or similar material in anothercommunicating department, and means for spraying water on theattemperating materials in the several departments at difierenttemperatures.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. DORNFELD.

Witnesses O. T. BENEDICT, ANNA V. FAUST.

